Agitator



June 4, 1929. J. E. BOND 1,716,296

AGITATOR Filed March 5, 1928 fiatented June 41, 1%29.

UNHTEE STATES JOSEPH E. BOND, OF APPLE'ION, WISCONSIN.

AGITATOR.

Application filed March 5, 1928. Serial No. 259,083.

My invention relates to the art of paper making and particularly to means for agitating paper pulp.

In development of the art it has been found possible to greatly increase the capacity of a given equipment by increaslng the density (or, in other words, lessemng the fluidity) of the pulp during 1ts treatment preceding delivery to the fourdri'nlers. \Vhile in the old practice a El pulp was considered proper and of the maximum density possible, it is now common to deal with 6% solutions, with correspondingly increased production capaclty.

However, many difiicult problems are encountered in handling pulp of this density due to its lack of fluidity and its tendency to mass or cake in the storage or treatment tanks and containers. This tendency is 1nherent in the nature of the material under treatment due to its fibrous character and to the physical law of attraction of solids. The liquid within which the solids are carried serves merely as a supporting medium therefor and facilitates rather than hinders the massing and intertwining of thefibers.

To avoid massing and stratifying of the pulp in the liquid and to maintain a uniform density throughout the entire body of material it must be kept in motion and the motion producing means should have a tendency to break up and tear apart any large or small masses of pulp. In the old practice the mixture was kept in motion by means of paddles or impellers in the tank, but this apparatus had very little tendency to break up masses of pulp, and was wholly ineffective with stock of increased density. Furthermore, such apparatus required an outlet of power not commensurate with the results secured.

The tanks, chests or containers which are in place and must be utilized for the new plan of operation are of many and varied forms, all of great size, some narrow and of great length, some deep and some round. The problem has been, therefore, to provide means applicable to these various forms of tanks that would insure effective circulation, the breaking up of pulp masses and the maintenance at all times of a proper consistency throughout the whole volume of material, with a minimum of power expenditure.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a layout in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings I have illustrated a chest or tank having side walls 10, 11 and end walls 12, 13. Arranged in spaced relation from the side walls and extending longitudinally within the tank are bafile walls 14, 15 terminating short of both ends of the transverse wall 16, thus providing a central compartment A and side compartments B and O. The combined cross sectional areas of the compartments B, G, is substantially that of the compartment A and all three of the compartments are in communication at one end of the tank.

At the opposite end I provide a screw pump 17, operated by a motor 18, the pump projecting through the transverse wall 16 midway of the width thereof and at a point near the floor of the tank. The inlet to the pump is thus in the compartment A. The discharge from the pump is directly into the space between the transverse wall and the end wall 13 of the tank at the point where the side compartments B, C are in communication.

In order to elevate the material discharged from the pump, I fill in the space adjacent to the pump discharge with cinder concrete thereby providing the oppositely inclined surfaces 19, 20. The concrete is then tapered downwardly as at 21, 22 in the compartments B, C. Thus the material discharged from the pump is directed to the upper level of the tank at both sides where it flows backwardly to the endsof the battles and thence into compartment A from which it is again drawn into the pump.

Notwithstanding the enormous quantity of material that may be stored in the tank, it is by the means indicated, kept in motion and suitably agitated to render it always of the proper consistency and ready for use.

I claim:

1. In combination, a relatively long and narrow tank, a pair of longitudinal division walls dividing the space within the tank into three compartments in communication at one end of the tank, a transverse wall .joining said division walls at the opposite end, a pump projecting through said transverse wall at the lower level of the tank, the discharge from said pump being into the space between said transverse wall and the end wall of the tank, and means for causing the material discharged from saidpump to rise to a higher level of said tank and to be discharged into the two side compartments.

2. In combination, a relatively long and narrow tank, a pair of longitudinal division verse wall at the lower level of the tank. into three compartments in communication at one end of the tank, the cross sectional area of the two side compartments substantially equalling that of the middle compartment, a transverse wall 'oining said division walls at the opposite end, a pump projecting through said transverse wall at the lower level of the tank, the discharge from said pump being into the space between said transverse wall and the end wall of the tank, and means for causing the material dis- I charged from said pump to rise to a higher level of said tank and to be discharged into the two side compartments.

3. In an agitator, the combination with a relatively long tank, a. pair of baffle walls within the tank extending longitudinally thereof, said bafiie walls terminating short of both ends of the tank, a pump at one end of the tank, a transverse wall joining the relatively long tank, a

baflie walls at the pump end of the tank, the inlet to the pump being in communica tion with the space between the baflies through the transverse wall near the floor of the tank and the dischar e from the pump being into the space etween said transverse wall and the tank end wall and means in said'discharge space forming an incline for compelling the discharged material to rise and to flow into the two spaces outside of said baifie walls. 7

4:. In an agitator, the combination with a air of battle Walls within the tank exten ing longitudinally thereof, said battle walls terminating short of both ends of the tank, a pump at one end of the tank, a transverse wall joining the bafile walls at the pump end of the tank, the inlet to the pump being in communication with the space between the baflies through the transverse wall near the floor of the tank and the discharge from the pump being into the space between said transverse wall and the tank end wall, and cinder fill in the space between the transverse and end walls forming a deflector compelling the discharged material to rise and flow into the two spaces outside of said bafile walls.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JOSEPH E. BOND. 

